Norris, Orioles take series from Astros

One day after trading the title of being the Astros’ No. 1 starter for becoming one of just 25 Orioles, Bud Norris faced the only MLB team he’d ever played for before Wednesday.

A victory two Astros rebuilding seasons in the making was achieved Thursday.

Watching the Astros grab an early 2-0 lead, then seeing Baltimore turn a three-run fifth inning into a game-changer, Norris allowed four hits and two runs in six innings while striking out a season-high eight and walking just two on 104 pitches (65 strikes).

His new team backed him the rest of the way, as the Orioles took a three-game series with a 6-3 victory at Oriole Park.

“I’ve been working my whole career to pitch to get into the postseason and this is what it is. … It’s pretty special,” said Norris, who improved to 7-9 this season with a 3.89 ERA.

The Astros (36-71) fell to 2-5 on their 10-game road trip and are just 3-10 since the All-Star break.

Norris gave up a right-field single to Jason Castro in the first frame but turned two soft ground outs and a Chris Carter strikeout into a quick inning.

“He was typical Bud Norris. Great command. Pitched to both sides of the plate,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “I thought he did a really good job of throwing some good sliders in some hitters’ counts and kind of took advantage of a little bit of over-aggressiveness by some of our guys.”

Brett Wallace broke the silence in the second, loading up and slamming into a 2-2 Norris fastball that ended up in deep right-center field for a 1-0 Astros lead.

Astros starter Jordan Lyles pitched through first-inning trouble to reach the fourth having not allowed a run and only giving up two hits on 41 pitches (27 strikes).

The Orioles (60-49) didn’t make an offensive impression until Nate McLouth’s RBI single to left field in the fifth, giving Astros pitchers 15 scoreless innings dating back to the seventh during the series opener Tuesday.

Rookie Marc Krauss mirrored Wallace in the fourth, blasting a solo shot near where his teammate’s landed and giving the Astros a 2-0 advantage.

But rookie shortstop Jonathan Villar’s fielding error set up a three-run fifth against Lyles — highlighted by Manny Machado’s RBI single and a Nick Markakis sacrifice fly to deep left field — that handed Norris a 3-2 lead with 12 outs to go.

“He just came after us. He came after us with fastballs and tried to get ahead with his fastball, then used his slider to get us out. He did a good job against us,” said Astros center fielder L.J. Hoes, who recorded his first MLB hit off the pitcher he was traded for.

“He just knows how to pitch. He sets you up and goes in and out,” Hoes said. “He likes to throw the slider in the same area he starts his fastball — just to make it look like it’s a fastball — then it breaks away and you’re in trouble.”

Chris Davis’ 39th home run and 100th RBI handed Baltimore a four-run barrier in the seventh.

Lyles’ swoon continued. The 22-year-old righthander hit a wall in the fifth, allowing nine hits and five runs (three earned) overall in 5 2/3 innings. Lyles’ season has tailed off since a strong seven-game run from May 17 to June 18, while his ERA (4.91) has gradually risen.

Norris became the fifth starting pitcher in the last 15 seasons to make his first start with his new team against the club that traded him midseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Astros faced Norris a little more than 24 hours after the organization exchanged him for rookie center fielder L.J. Hoes, a minor league pitcher and a high 2014 draft pick.

Norris went 6-9 with a 3.93 ERA this season for the Astros and was 34-46 with a 4.33 ERA during five years with the club that drafted him.

He spent the last two seasons watching the Astros tear down everything around him. Thursday, he pitched for a playoff contender and achieved the type of victory the Astros are years away from reaching.

“He’ll throw his slider for a strike when he wants to and he’ll bury you when he wants to. … He’s a smart pitcher,” Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez said.